Just a Little Crush
by Nottoca
Summary: An accidental confession threatens Kakashi and Sakura’s friendship and their relationship as teammates. KakaSaku Lemon.
1. Chapter 1

I felt the urge to post something. I know I should have been working on homework (one week into my first semester going back to college for my masters and i'm already slacking off) and not on fanfics but maybe, in an attempt to avoid homework, I'll actually be able to start writing again after months of writers block. I'm not sure if that's good or bad considering what I'm paying for these classes…

But anyway, I see 3 chaps with a lemon. I'm warning you now, there will be adult content in the last chap but this part is relatively clean.

* * *

The fingers of Sakura's left hand drummed the countertop while her right doodled with a pen on a blank medical chart. While it was good no one was injured seriously enough to need medical attention today, the lack of patients visiting the clinic left Sakura bored out of her mind. She could be studying new jutsus or catching up on her reading, but she just didn't feel like it. No matter how hard she tried, her mind kept returning to Kakashi. As her mind wandered, her hand started filling in all the little spaces between words with red ink.

Kakashi had been on a mission for three weeks and as of today, he was two days overdue. It wasn't like it was a terribly risky mission, ranked as a low A class, and it definitely wasn't out of the ordinary for him to be late, even from a mission, but it still had her worried. Sometimes she felt that was what she did best: worry.

Sakura, the worrying kunoichi.

She worried about all her friends when they were on missions - she couldn't help it. As the Hokage's student, she had access to a number of the mission files that weren't classified top secret. She knew of the dangers they faced and on higher ranked missions, if they didn't have a good medic on their team, it greatly reduced the chance of survival. She worried the most about her teammates when they went on solo or team missions without her; Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Yamato. And, of course, Kakashi. Out of everyone she knew, he was probably the most adaptable and competent ninja, yet his devotion to his teammates and his village caused him to occasionally risk his life unnecessarily, making him the one that scared her the most. Well, that and…

No, she really had to stop thinking about him.

She hadn't been able to get the man out of her head for the past year; what made her think she could do so now? Maybe because she'd poured her heart out to him and he'd thrown it into the dirt at her feet.

Okay, maybe she was exaggerating a little. He hadn't been malicious about it. She had merely admitted she had a crush on him and he…

* * *

_3 weeks ago_

Sakura stood on the bridge, leaning on the handrail and watching the stream flowing underneath her. She had a fistful of leaves in her hand and slowly dropped them into the water one by one and watched as they floated away out of sight. It had been a really long day at the hospital and she really should be getting home because tomorrow promised to be just as long, but the moving water had her mesmerized. It was so pretty and calm, only disturbed by the occasional large rock.

Until a few minutes ago, she'd been at the bar, dragged there by Ino with the declaration she needed to get out more. She'd had a perfectly good reason not to want to go; she was tired of seeing all her friends out with their significant others. It only reinforced to her that she could never have the man she wanted to be with. And most likely, he would be at the same bar Ino insisted on going to. She always planned things like that.

Sakura had had this crush on Kakashi, her former teacher, for more than a year now and while she continuously tried to stop herself from thinking about him romantically (or lustfully), it didn't quite seem to work. They'd been friends for a few years, no longer student and teacher, but team leader and team member or fellow jounins, whatever you wanted to call it, and according to Ino, they flirted quite a bit. But Sakura had never seen it as flirting, it was more like teasing or merely sharp, quick comments exchanged between good friends and she was certain it had no meaning to him.

Ino, of course, disagreed. This evening, Sakura had, yet again, been on the receiving end of the "You have to tell him" lecture. For added enjoyment and/or torture, Ino had also thrown in some of the "Shinobi must live for the day" speech as well. If nothing else, Sakura was ready to broach the subject with Kakashi if it would just shut her friend up. Almost.

It wasn't that Kakashi was dating someone else; actually she'd never seen him with a real girlfriend. He seemed to be more of the type for a one night stand – god knows he never had a shortage of women watching and following him wherever he went. It was that he was out of her reach, something she wanted but could never quite touch.

And god did she want him. His every movement during sparring practices or missions, made her think of sex. Watching his lithe form bend and stretch and his graceful actions during a fight left her practically drooling. When she was close to him, like when she sat by him at the bar or walked next to him, his scent was intoxicating. It wasn't as if he wore cologne – no ninja would intentionally wear a scent that might give them away – it was the clear, clean scent of him with just a touch of the soap he used. And she loved it.

Even when not around him, her inner personality would imagine what he would say when strange things happened around her (and they always did), the quick humorous comment to make her smile or just a raised eyebrow. They'd been on so many missions together recently; it felt a little lonely to not have him around.

Sakura sighed, dropping another leaf from her hand and watching it float downstream. She could already guess what his answer would be, and she felt she could handle the rejection – in fact, it might just make her feel better to be told straight to her face that he didn't see her that way. What she was afraid of was ruining their comfortable friendship.

She felt at ease with Kakashi in a way unlike anyone else. He was a shoulder to lean on when a patient died, or a lap to rest her head on when exhausted from training. She'd go bother him when she was hungry and wanted some company to grab a bite to eat with. When he returned injured from a mission and came to her for healing, oftentimes he would fix her dinner in thanks. She liked sparing with him; he was fast and smart and was always willing to give advice when asked. She didn't want any of these things to change just because she told him she had a crush on him.

Maybe telling him flat out wouldn't be the best method. Except, he was _The_ Copy Ninja, after all. He could fight several opponents at the same time while he thumbed through his favorite dirty novel. He had to be one of the most observant people she knew, surely if she changed her behavior slightly, he would notice and figure it out on his own.

Like he's noticed the changes in her during the past year? If he was so observant why hadn't he noticed how different she'd acted around him recently? She knew that, while unintentional, her behavior had changed and she just wasn't a good enough actress to fool Kakashi.

Maybe he had noticed but didn't want to embarrass her by saying anything unless she came on to him.

Besides, what made her think she was even his type? Why would he want a girl so much younger than himself? Especially when there always seemed to be beautiful women practically throwing themselves at his feet. Women who didn't want a long-term relationship with him or to have their loving affections returned.

Damn it. This was so complicated and the bottle or two of sake she'd emptied at the bar hadn't helped her clear her thoughts. She really shouldn't make any rash decisions like telling him how she felt before sobering up a little.

Eyes watching as the leaf she'd dropped float away, she thought about seeing him at the bar earlier. She'd been most of the way through her second bottle of sake before, to both her combined sorrow and joy, he showed up with Genma. Mmmm… Kakashi had looked so good earlier tonight, good enough to eat and just thinking about him almost made her moan out loud.

What would he have done if she had gone up to him and licked the visible part of his face? That would definitely be one of the more interesting ways to tell him she wanted him. Now she was giggling a little, imagining the surprised expression on his face.

"So what are you doing here, Sakura, and is there some reason you're laughing out here all alone?" Kakashi's voice startled her and she whipped her head around to look at the man now standing next to her.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" she scolded him. "I could have had a heart attack."

"You're a leaf kunoichi so you should have noticed me earlier and you're only 23, Sakura. I don't think surprise could give someone as healthy as you a heart attack at 23."

"And who's the medic here?"

"I bow to your superior knowledge, oh great and wise Dr. Haruno." He tipped his head in a small gesture of his subservience.

"That's more like it." She said with a satisfied grin.

"So what brings you out here? You weren't chased away by Genma hitting on you again, were you?"

"No, I can handle Genma. The day I can't brush him off is the day I'm no longer able to call myself Tsunade-shishou's apprentice."

"Well, Genma is known for being incredibly dense when it comes to hitting on women. How many walls have you punched him through for his rude comments and unwanted advances?"

"Let's see… fourteen walls… nine trees… and more than a dozen doors… Oh, and a few windows, too."

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't us who ran you off."

"No, it wasn't you. I'm just cooling off. I think I might have had a drink or two too many." She snuck a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. The moonlight made his hair gleam, giving it the appearance of spun silver threads. He was hunched over like she was, his upper body resting on the wooden rail with one arm folded under his chest and the other hanging down over the water, his gaze on his own fistful of leaves.

"Something's bothering you." He stated, dropping a leaf. He didn't ask, she noted, but he still made it sound like a question.

"I've just been thinking too much." She continued.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It seems like every time I go out with Ino to the bars or, well to anything social, I always seem to be alone, watching from a distance as other people enjoy themselves. I see all those happy couples – well, I suppose there are a fair share of them that are miserable couples too, but at least they have someone to share it with."

"There _is_ something to be said for company. There's also something to be said about being single."

"Has it ever bothered you? I mean, I've never seen you with a girlfriend. I guess you could be dating someone for all I know."

"No, I'm not dating anyone, Sakura. Relationships are difficult and I'm not sure I'm exactly suited for them."

"Have you ever been serious about someone?"

He sighed and turned his head to look at her. "Not really. As I said, to me relationships are more trouble than they're worth and I have enough difficulty with my friends staying alive much less someone even more important to me."

"Didn't you ever want a family?"

"I can't say I've ever thought much about it. As a dedicated shinobi, it would be a difficult thing to have while continuing to take missions."

"But it's not unheard of. Or you could retire."

"Do I really look that old, Sakura-chan?" The black eye staring at her fixed her in place but she could see the hint of a smile under his mask.

"Of course not," she said hastily. "I just…"

"I know what you meant. I've been doing this a long time and retirement isn't completely out of the question. I suppose it would all depend on if I could ever find a woman who'd make me want to." They stood in silence for a few moments until he started to speak again.

"At night, I have a recurring nightmare that I met her, a beautiful yet faceless woman. One night she was the enemy and I fought and killed her, another night she was my teammate and I was unable to save her during a battle, and on other nights it's completely different but in all of them, she always dies."

"A person could read quite a bit into that…"

"I'm sure I do a lot of things people could read into if they wanted to. I've always believed it just meant there was no one out there for me and if there was, I would only end up hurting her. But what about you Sakura? You used to have your sights set on only Sasuke."

"Things change. We both grew up and he's not what I always made him out to be. He's a good friend and teammate now, but I don't love him. I don't think he ever saw me the way I saw him."

"Did you ever imagine what your life would be like if you were together?

"Of course. When I was little, I imagined us married with a house full of kids that I'd stay home with and take care of the house while he became the best shinobi in the village, too skilled to ever get injured and always coming home to me and our children."

"And now?"

"The dream changed; _**I**_ changed. I know life with Sasuke would never be like that. I really like my job and have a hard time imagining giving it up. I like being able to save people, to fix what's broken and keep them alive. Especially since _**some people**_ I know are constantly injured and refuse to go to the hospital to be healed." She gave a pointed glance at the man next to her but he ignored her, his eyes still focused on the water below. "And I enjoy going on missions. I don't think I could be happy staying at home all the time and being the baby factory like Sasuke wants. I like what I do and I'm happy where I'm at."

"Except for the loneliness."

"I didn't say my life couldn't be better, I just said I have a good life."

"And children?"

"I suppose I wouldn't mind having one or two, but not yet. Kind of like you, it all hinges on finding the right person. Seeing how difficult Kuranai's life is, single parenthood isn't something I want to try and even if I'm with someone, I'd have to give up going on missions for at least a couple of years."

"Have anyone in mind?"

"In a way, I suppose I do…" She concentrated on the few remaining leaves in her hand.

"I hope he deserves you." He said softly, still looking down at the water and not at her.

"He's too good for me." She replied, her voice just as soft as his. She didn't want to even look at him until she felt more in control. Somewhere this conversation had gotten onto shaky ground and she was afraid her big, drunk mouth might say something it shouldn't.

"No one's too good for you, Sakura-chan." His voice was still soft. "Anyone I might know?" His voice held a smile and a light teasing tone that told her he was only asking out of courtesy.

She hesitated. This could be the best time to tell him how she felt, or at least hint to him that she had a slight crush on him. But no, that was a very bad idea as she'd had too much to drink. A very, very bad idea. Now was not a good time to make major decisions like that.

"You should. He's standing right next to me." Kakashi's head turned rapidly to look at her, his usually droopy eye wide with surprise. Sakura turned to look at him as her heart jumped up into her throat, her mouth covered by her hands and her eyes large and filled with panic. Her obvious shock struck him silent. "Oh my god, I said that out loud, didn't I?"

_What have I done?_ She screamed inside her head.

'_You just told him you have a crush on him,' her inner voice replied._

_Oh, god! Too much to drink, way, waaay too much to drink._ She squeezed her eyes closed and, covering them with her hands, she turned away from him to rest her elbows on the railing and waited for the crushing words she knew were coming. She had SO screwed this up.

"Sakura… I don't think that something like that… would work…" He said slowly, his confusion apparent in his expression.

Sakura turned her head to glance up at him and bit her lip before nodding her head in agreement with him. "I know, it's silly. I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry. Don't worry, it's not like I expected you to feel like that too…." she whispered rapidly, her mouth rambling on without consulting her brain. The only thing she could think of was the odd look on his face, the expression that could be seen in his single black eye that told her everything she needed to know. It was that look that broke her heart. That look of confusion that told her he had never even thought of her that way. The words she had expected, but it was the disappointed way he looked at her that made her feel ashamed, like she'd violated their friendship.

"It's just a silly little crush…" her voice was soft and she knew she must be sporting a blush darker than her hair as she told her lie. She might have said to him it was only a little crush, but it was really much more than that. Even as she said the words, she knew it was a lie; she had fallen for him, and fallen hard. But she would continue to tell him it was nothing, she didn't want to see his horrified expression if he knew how much she really wanted to be with him. She couldn't let him know how close she wanted to be to him, how she craved his touch and imagined what his hands would feel like as he caressed her body, imagining him next to her as she fell asleep at night.

"Don't worry; it'll go away with time." She said, trying to dismiss her little admission. "And things can go back to the way they were. I don't want anything to change between us. Will you promise me? We can still be friends and teammates?"

"Of course, Sakura-chan. I promise." His hand raised and moved as if he was going to ruffle her hair but he stopped, his fingers hovering over her hand.

"I-I'd better get home. I have to be at the hospital for work first thing in the morning." She tried to push away the disappointment that flowed through her body when he drew his hand back. The next few days were going to be extremely difficult for her, trying to act like nothing happened whenever they were together. It would be even worse if he started avoiding her. "I'm… I'm sorry I said anything. See you tomorrow at practice?" she asked hesitantly.

"I have a mission tomorrow." He said flatly.

"Oh… So I'll see you when you get back, right?" the hopeful tone of her voice sounded disgustingly pathetic in her ears.

"Right." He said with a small smile as she turned away and headed back to her apartment, leaving Kakashi staring over the edge of the bridge at the water that rushed past.

* * *

_Present day_

Every single day for the last three weeks she had chastised herself for telling him about her crush and just recalling his shocked expression hurt just as much now as it did when she first saw it. Was he going to start avoiding her when he came back? He may never want to see her again. As of this morning, she hadn't seen his name on the list of returned shinobi from the prior day so he couldn't have returned and just not contacted her yet.

She knew it had been pointless to hope for a return of her feelings. He was not meant to be with her and, until she'd stupidly opened her big mouth, he'd probably never even considered her in that light. To him, she was just the little girl he'd taught all those years ago. Her wishful dreams of coming home to him every night, of having him welcome her back from a mission with a deep and passionate kiss, of waking next to him every morning were just that; dreams and fantasies. And they should have stayed quietly inside her head where they belonged.

At least before she'd said anything to him, she'd still had that little flame of hope burning. His reaction that night had crushed it and all she could hope for now was to keep his friendship.

Slowly, when her mind returned to the present, she noticed she'd begun to sketch a bunny costume on the anatomical figure on the page. She was just about ready to look for another color of pen to fill it in when Tsunade stalked into the emergency ward, Hokage robe flapping behind her.

"Sakura!" The tall blond woman called out, making her way toward her student. Sakura inconspicuously slid her piece of doodle-paper into a drawer, not wanting to be caught wasting forms by drawing bunny pictures on them.

"Yes, Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura's eyes focused on the sake jug her mentor had securely grasped in a fist. Shizune had followed unseen behind her and was currently trying, unsuccessfully, to confiscate the bottle before Tsunade could finish it off. After all, it was only three in the afternoon and there was still a great deal of work to be done.

"Kakashi needs someone to make a house call. Seems he was injured on his latest mission but refuses to come to the hospital." Tusnade's words woke Sakura from her daze of self-reflection, a sharp spike of fear running through her body.

Something must have gone wrong on his mission if he had gotten injured and it _must_ be serious if he'd called for help. Sakura usually made it a point to check up on him after every mission because he had the nasty habit of not reporting most of his wounds unless he was close to death and had been dragged into the hospital by his teammates. Or anyone else who found him passed out on the street.

"He's back? How bad is it?" Sakura asked, pulling her kit from under the desk. "Did he say what his injuries are?" She pulled open a drawer or two and tossed packages of medical supplies into her already well stocked emergency bag. Extra gauze, bandages, packets of dried medicinal plants, antiseptics, healing scrolls with jutsus… she wondered if she could find some restraints for when he tried to fight her treatments. Eh, she'd figure something out later if she needed them.

"It's Kakashi, the master of understatement; who can tell without seeing him? And remind him we don't make house calls anymore." Tsunade grumbled, her tone soon changing from one of annoyance to one of outrage as Shizune succeeded in prying the bottle of sake from her hand. "Shizune! Give that back! _What_ do you think you are doing?!"

The dark haired woman turned with blazing eyes to the fifth hokage. "I've told you before, no more sake until you have those papers signed!" Shizune, with the bottle securely wrapped in both arms and small oinking pig following behind her, stormed back to the Hokage's office. Sakura, running from the hospital, didn't even notice as Tsunade followed Shizune, swearing at her the whole way.

_That stupid man!_ Sakura was almost swearing out loud as she took to the rooftops. _Why couldn't he suck it up and drag himself to the hospital? Maybe he was too injured to make it there? Maybe he's lying in a pool of his own blood right now, unable to move? _Sakura put on a burst of speed, her mind racing with the possible life-threatening injuries he might have._ Broken bones, punctured organs… torture? Oh, please no, torture could get ugly._

_He'd better not die on me. What will I do if the dies? What will I do if I can't save him? _

_I need to keep calm. I can't panic. I need to keep my head until I know what's happened._

_Please be okay, Kakashi. Please be okay._

**TBC...**

* * *

I'm not even going to estimate when the next part will be out. Probably depends on when my next assignment is due. I always seem to write more/better when I'm avoiding things, and I'm a master at that. I actually put off opening any mail for 4 months. Did you know even if you don't open the envelopes you're still responsible for paying the bills? Just an FYI…

Anyway, let me know what you think, feedback is always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you all so much for all the reveiws! i never expected such a great response for a first chapter and its really helped me to get back into writing.

This chapter is for AraelMoonchild who acurately guessed Kakashi's injury. Hopefully it wasn't _**too**_ predictable for everyone else.

* * *

Sakura ran through the entrance of Kakashi's apartment building and skidded to a stop in front of his door. She tried to knock politely, but she was just too worried and the door rattled against the frame as she pounded at it. Alright, ten seconds. If she didn't hear movement from inside in ten seconds, she'd break through the door. It was entirely possible he might be too injured to come to the door.

5…

4…

3…

2…

To her surprise, the door opened to reveal a healthy-looking Kakashi. Most of his body was covered by his usual clothing so maybe the injuries were hidden. Or maybe it was a poison.

"Tsunade-shishou said you were injured?" She spoke rapidly, reaching a glowing green hand out to touch him, using her chakra to search him for injuries.

Kakashi held up his right hand, his index finger pointing toward the ceiling. Focusing on his finger, Sakura stared at the fine red cut across the pad before looking up at him in disbelief, all her worries draining from her.

"You called me for a papercut?"

"It hurts."

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, trying to keep her temper. Her immense anger was quelled by the wave of relief from knowing he was home and relatively uninjured. She wasn't going to get mad about this, she was an adult and hitting him, no matter how tempting, wouldn't solve anything. Except that it was extremely tempting and would make her feel so much better. She slowly counted to ten while she took deep breaths, which seemed to help a little. At least she wouldn't kill him.

"I think it's infected, too."

"Alright, that's it." Sakura reached out and whapped him on the side of the head. "Do you know just how much I want to give you a _**real**_ injury for this? You probably got that papercut from an _Icha Icha_ book, didn't you? Sakura asked, as she pushed past him into his apartment. Kakashi knew better than to deny something true.

"_Icha Icha Does Dallas_." He said as Sakura rolled her eyes. (sorry, guys, I'm not in the mood to make up another name)

"Did that even happen on your mission?" Her annoyance was starting to show and Kakashi was just waiting for the minute she hauled off and really hurt him.

He gave her a hurt expression. "Of course it was on a mission. It's a serious wound received while on a serious mission."

"By a dirty novel! Have you never heard of a Band-aid?"

"Doesn't ring a bell. Do you want to know what was in the novel?"

"Not really."

"Oh, but I think you would like it. Jiraryia gave it to me and it's not going to be released until next month. I know you read them too."

She flushed and turned away from him so he wouldn't see the added color to her face. Once, okay, just once she was so bored out of her mind while on a mission, she had borrowed one of his copies and read it. She had, of course, criticized it the entire time and had denied liking it when she gave it back. How did he know she went and bought her own copies? After all, they were more like explicit romance novels. Very explicit romance novels.

"So what if I do?" Oh, crap. So much for denying she liked them. She really needed to get out of here. She already felt ashamed for her outburst a few weeks ago, but unlike what she'd told him she'd do, she hadn't been able to stop her feelings. Just being in the same room with him made her heart ache.

"It means I'm not the only pervert in the room."

"No, you're still the only pervert 'cause I don't read them in public."

"You weren't doing anything important were you?"

"That's not the point! Medics don't even make house calls."

"Not even for their favorite sensei?"

"Tsunade's my favorite sensei."

He looked hurt.

"Fine. You're my favorite _perverted_ sensei, does that count for something?"

"I'm still hurt by that."

She leaned back against the wall and bowed her head. "And I'm hurt you called me here for a paper cut! I thought you were really injured! I thought you might be dying! I thought…" She sighed in defeat and moved over to stand by him, reaching a glowing green hand to wrap around the index finger he still held up. "You really scared me." In a matter of seconds, the sides of the red cut sealed itself back together and his skin returned to its usual color.

"If that's all you needed, I have to get back to the hospital." She turned away and reached for the door. "There are people who are actually injured there and they might need my help."

"Wait, please, Sakura." his hand was reaching for her arm, pulling her toward his lumpy couch. "Just sit down for a moment." She came to stand in front of the couch but didn't sit down. He made a motion for her to sit and she hesitated momentarily before perching on the edge of a cushion.

He took a good look at her, noticing how tired she appeared. She looked weary beyond her years, even for a kunoichi, her back was slumped and her eyes stared down at the floor. She looked defeated. She turned to take a quick glance at him, but her eyes immediately returned to the carpet.

"What is it? Are you actually hurt somewhere?" she asked as she sat down, her eyes flicking up to looked him over again. Still finding no injuries, her eyes dropped to the floor as he sat next to her. She had a bad feeling he wanted to talk about what she'd blurted out on the bridge and she didn't relish the idea of being turned down again.

"Not exactly." He said.

"Not exactly?"

Kakashi sighed. In his nervousness he struggled to remain seated and not to pace back and forth in front of the couch. What if she'd changed her mind and didn't care for him like that anymore? What if it really had just been a silly crush, something she'd foolishly said without meaning after too much to drink?

It had been such a long three weeks without her. An extremely long three week mission spent thinking about her and what she said the night before he left. He had asked her what she wished her life would be like, assuming she found the right person to spend it with. When she'd said there was someone she had in mind, and he'd been dumb enough to ask who, he'd never imagined it was him.

Then she said she'd make it go away. Strangely, those words had bothered him much more than hearing about the crush and when he realized it, he'd been so stunned he remained on the bridge for nearly an hour after she left, attempting to analyze what it all meant. Eventually he went home only to think of her the entirety of his mission.

His automatic reaction had been to push her away and he was starting to regret it.

The pink haired girl he'd first met had changed so much over the past years. Even without his instruction. He'd failed her as her teacher, but he hoped he had made up for it recently, working with her on basic skills Tsunade didn't have the extra time to practice with her. Everything the life of a shinobi had thrown at her, she'd found a way through it, and had grown into one of the best kunoichi in the village and the second best medic in all the hidden villages, surpassing even Shizune. Her inner and outer strength constantly amazed him and he'd had a chance to see that in the past couple years.

Once she'd become a jounin, Tsunade tended to pair them together on team missions for some of the more difficult assignments – knowing that if Kakashi insisted on using the Mangekyou Sharingan, Sakura was one of the few people who could help treat him. And he did use it. No matter how many times Sakura and Tsunade lectured him about it, there were times he still felt it was absolutely necessary. Sakura's lectures tended to be a bit more extreme and threatening than Tsunade's and he usually listened to her, for awhile at least.

So why had he been disappointed when she brushed her feelings off as a little crush? Did he _**want**_ her to have feelings for him? The thought almost made him fall out of the tree he had been crouched in as he observed his target.

She was important to him, probably the person who knew him best as well. There was just something about this woman that made him open up to her, telling her things he'd never shared with anyone. Her kind, friendly manner and quick wit often had him grinning broadly and made him grateful he had his mask to hide behind. She'd even learned to read his expressions, something difficult to do with a person who only let you see one eye and a small section of his face.

He wasn't above admitting to himself that, after a few slightly awkward teen years, she had turned into quite the knockout, her pale pink hair and vibrant green eyes giving her a striking and unusual beauty that had other women jealous and left many men drooling. Including him.

She'd even haunted his dreams for the past couple years, doing things to him right out of an _Icha Icha_ book. Granted, he had those dreams about several female acquaintances, but it was the ones with Sakura always left him feeling a little empty and disappointed when he woke up alone. She was just… special, different than anyone else he'd ever met.

It wasn't like he hadn't considered what being with her would be like because he had. It was more like he never thought it was possible she could think of him that way therefore being with her like that was an unattainable fantasy. Having taken the medic route, she still retained her purity, her innocence that so many kunoichi lost through their numerous seduction missions. She was definitely beyond his reach and he didn't want to burden her with the terrible things he'd done in his life.

Fine. Yes, he was a dirty old man for even looking at this young girl – no, this _woman_ in a sexual way, but it was so damn hard not to. After all, he was a man, and what man wouldn't enjoy being around a smart, funny, beautiful woman who made him feel like he was the only man in her world when she was with him?

She had to have one of the most amazing bodies he'd ever seen, too. A body that wouldn't leave his mind since she'd begun to fill out. The way she moved, how she twisted her muscular form to dodge blows during practice or just the sweet smile she'd occasionally flash him, all of it contributed to his fantasies. There were a lot of fantasies, and sometimes they were arousingly realistic; realistic enough to have him fumbling to cover said arousal when caught on a mission.

He couldn't help but imagine how soft her skin would feel under his calloused fingers, how soft her hair might feel against his bare cheek, how her lips would feel pressed against the skin of his chest, how her moans might sound as he entered her warm, silky heat.

But the fact remained, there was a 14 year age difference, and while she was now 23 years old (making him feel rather old at the age of 37) she had once been his student and he wasn't sure that was a line that could or should be crossed. At least not between them.

It had broken his heart to see her so upset that night, how afraid she'd been that he would end their friendship because of what she'd said. Honestly, if he hadn't been reconsidering his actions from that night and if he actually _didn't_ feel anything for her, that's probably what he would have done – slowly started to avoid her so as to ease their discomfort and put some space between them. But he found he didn't want to. If the weeks away from her because of a mission had been hard, how difficult would it be to avoid her while living in the same village?

He'd miss their easy relationship, her soft wonderful laugh, the way she'd look when he made her angry – even when she got mad enough to punch him. For some reason, she was absolutely beautiful when she was angry, maybe it was her flashing green eyes or that her cheeks flushed prettily or maybe it was the way she would pout if she lost the argument.

Was it possible that he might be the right man for her? Was it too much to hope that there really was someone for him – and she was that one? Was there even a chance they could be happy together?

He'd told her about his bad dreams and nightmares where he found the woman he loved only to lose her by his own actions. For years he'd interpreted them as a prediction meaning there was no one he was meant to be with – that his life hadn't been meant to be happy, that emotions were only dangerous and deadly things to shinobi.

He hadn't had one of those dreams since he left the village, and when he looked back at them now, he could only envision the woman having pink hair, something they definitely hadn't had when he woke up sweating. Was it possible these nightmares were merely a manifestation of his fears, his imagination playing off those fears and none of it would actually come true? Could there really be someone who was meant for him?

He'd seen her eyes on that bridge and he'd gotten the impression that what she'd said was true. It was possible she might even be dismissing how much she really cared. As he'd told her, there really wasn't anyone who was good enough for her; especially him. Surely he could only bring more pain and sorrow to her life. He really didn't deserve someone so kind and caring. He didn't deserve a woman who loved so unconditionally, did he?

What if they were to try a relationship – and not just sex, but an actual relationship? What if he opened up to her only to lose her like everyone else he really loved? And if he died, what would that do to her? Did he really want her to end up standing by the cenotaph crying over his engraved name?

Or would his inaction become his biggest regret, the rest of his life spent looking back to recall how he let the chance to be with such an amazing woman slip through his fingers? Did he really want to live without her in his life?

After three weeks thinking about her, he finally made his decision. At the time, he'd been so distracted with all his thoughts of her that he'd almost missed 'detaining' his target, a shinobi from another village who'd been tasked with learning about the defenses of the various parts of Fire Country. Almost missed him, but not quite. Kakashi quickly disposed of the shinobi, considering momentarily allowing himself to be injured just so he would have a reason to see her. The more intelligent part of his brain realized he didn't actually need to be injured to request medical attention. And that brought him to where he was sitting next to her on his couch.

"Do you remember the night we talked on the bridge before I left?"

Although she didn't move, she gave the impression of withdrawing into herself and her voice was soft when she answered. "Of course, the night I spoke without thinking and alienated one of my best friends... You promised me things wouldn't change between us." She said anxiously as she squeezed her eyes shut, knowing her face was turning an embarrassing shade of red.

_Please don't tell me we're not friends anymore, _she pleaded silently_. And don't make me beg out loud. If nothing else, I just want to still be around you. Please don't push me away._

He reached out and touched her hand, but she pulled it away as if she had been burned. He sighed softly, withdrawing his but still watching her.

"I'll admit, what you said on the bridge that night surprised me." He said. "I never saw it coming… the thought that you could see me as more than the old man who'd once been your teacher was something I never anticipated and I didn't quite know how to react, so the first thing I did was push you away. That's the way I've always dealt with anyone who wants to get too close – I push them away and after doing it for almost thirty years, well, I've become very, very skilled at it." She glanced over at him and saw he too was staring at the floor, studying his bare feet. He was leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together tightly between his legs.

"You haven't gotten over it yet, have you? The crush, I mean…" his head turned rapidly to look at her, to see her reaction to his question. She obviously hadn't picked up on the worried tone of his voice.

She shook her head slowly, her eyes dropping back to the floor, unable to make eye contact with him. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, hugging herself now. It was a stupid thought, but she couldn't help but wish it was his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly to him. "Not yet, I'm sorry, but it will go away… I'll make it go away, I promise."

"I've had a lot of time to think on this mission and… I've never been this close to someone or really allowed anyone to mean so much to me, and at the chance of ruining our friendship… I don't want to push you away this time. I already care for you so much more than I should if we're just friends… I want to open up to you but I can't do this as a one-time thing. I need… more from you… more than just one night… I need something more serious. That is, if you don't mind being with an old man."

She turned to find him watching her and searched his face for any sign of sincerity. She gave a small laugh and a sad quick smile before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I thought you just… I could have sworn you asked me… I-I have to go. I'm hearing things." She stood up quickly and raced toward the door only to have him catch her by the wrist and pull her back until she was standing between his knees, his single black eye staring up at her.

"I meant what I said, Sakura, I want to be with you but I need to know it's not just a quick fling, I need to know that this is more than a game to you. You're already too close to me, you're too important to me and I don't want to lose you. If I open up and let myself… let myself love you like that, I need to know you feel the same way." He reached up to cup her cheek. "That is, if you still mean what you said that night…"

The hope on his face and in his voice left her speechless and sent a rush of heat to her face. She had heard right! It hadn't been her mind playing tricks on her; he was willing to give her a chance. It was like she could visibly see the walls surrounding his emotions fall. This guarded man that she'd known for more than 10 years was finally allowing her, offering her, the chance to see the real him.

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments as her mind continued to process his words. He bowed his head and withdrew his hand, attempting to swallow the pain of rejection. Apparently it had been something she'd merely said while drunk and she really didn't care for him as much as he'd hoped she did. Maybe she had only wanted a one night stand. It had all been a long shot to begin with, he should know by now that someone like her couldn't burden herself with the likes of him. He'd made a complete fool of himself thinking she was serious with her little confession that he'd stupidly taken as a declaration of undying love. He'd made a complete fool of himself in front of her.

Sakura looked at the silver haired man sitting on the couch before her, the growing signs of worry forming on his face making her heart flip over. Unable to even come up with the right words to say to him, she lifted his chin with her hand, bent forward and kissed him softly on his masked lips. It was gentle and chaste, something that gave him her answer better than any words could and she could feel his lips curve into a smile under hers. As she leaned into his body and his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her down onto his lap, she could feel the tension drain from his stiff posture. Had he thought she'd rejected him? She was astonished; _the_ Copy-Nin had actually been nervous about her reaction!

"Um… I guess that means you haven't found anyone else while I was gone." He said as they broke away and he adjusting her weight a little to bring her closer. The smile that spread across her face made his heart jump, drinking in the happiness that now filled her eyes. As her arm slid around his waist, he welcomed her touch and held her tighter.

"No, nothing like that. Actually, I have no idea how I would even go about forgetting how I feel about you. I just said I would so you wouldn't start avoiding me." she said, her cheeks flushed.

"So you wouldn't mind a more serious relationship?"

Her soft giggle made his heart swell. "Nope. Actually, it's more than I could have hoped for. I'd kind of given up on you after my drunken declaration."

Sakura's admission made him smile and in less than a second, he had yanked down his mask and captured her lips with his bare ones. This time there was more to their kiss, a sort of energy that passed between them, a kind of electricity that awoke their entire bodies. There was a physical need, almost a hunger, and a kind of relief at finally doing what had been on both of their minds for these past few weeks. He inhaled her soft pleasured sigh, taking the opportunity to gently tease her parted lips with his tongue before pressing through them to find her own, stroking it cautiously with his.

The only thought that could pass through his mind was how good this felt, how right, as if this was the way things were supposed to be. He leaned back on the couch, pulling her with him, their lips still caught in an increasingly intense kiss. She really did want him, he marveled. This incredible young woman really did care for him, she really wants to be with him and he was filled with a feeling of joy unlike any he'd ever felt before.

She was his.

**TBC...**

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i probably could have ended it here but i felt like a lemon. While the majority of the next chapter is the lemon, there's a few relationship issues and hopefully humorous moments as well. Its almost done and will probably be up in a couple days. Thoughts and reviews would be greatly appreciated...


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, lemon time and this is soooo not for children. I suggest this only be read by old(er) people even though you could probably see it on any of the more expensive cable channels (not the basic service pack which is what I have. This is another reason I write lemons - because they usually don't show them with the cheapo package I've got. Wait. Come to think of it, it's not all that cheap… but I digress.) Just trust me, it's a strong lemon.

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Releasing his lips she studied his bare face. One hand reached for his hitai-ate, pulling it off over his grey spiky hair and letting it drop to the floor with a soft thunk. Her other hand reached out to caress his scarred cheek. He was absolutely gorgeous. Angular features, accented by the scar down his cheek and the unmoving red Sharingan staring back at her. Right now, his eyes were completely open, unlike his usual droopy stare. Apparently she was something he was willing to give his full attention to. Her fingers slowly reached up to allow her thumb to trace the length of his scar.

But it was the way he was looking back at her that pleased her most. He was looking at her in a way she'd only been dreaming about, a look filled with such longing and hunger, a look of adoration that thrilled her to no end.

"I like your face without your mask." She stated simply, her eyes looking into his with a tender expression on her face. She gave a tentative rock of her hips, enjoying the way his erection felt through their clothing and his responding groan that told her he enjoyed it too. "Would you think badly of me if we move a little quick with this? I mean, we've known each other for ten years…"

"You mean you're horny." He stated with a smirk. She opened her mouth to protest but found herself unable to speak, feeling a light blush coming to her face as she bit her lower lip and reluctantly nodded. It was a combination of his words and finally being able to see his entire face when he smiled that left her silent. Good lord, no wonder he wore the mask – women would be falling at his feet if they could see that kind of grin!

"So you admit it?"

"Mmhmm. Well, I don't think it's something you can deny either." She gave another rock of her hips to feel him tense under her. "Besides, do you know how much time I've wasted on missions watching your ass move?"

"Well, it couldn't be any more than I've spent watching yours." His hands slid down to squeeze her ass.

She smirked. "So… liked what you saw?"

"Oh, yes." he replied, pulling her upper body down and kissing his way down her neck. "There's no way I could mistake you for the little Sasuke-obsessed girl you were when I first met you. Especially not with these." His hands had slipped from her lower body to slide up and cup her breasts, positioning his fingers so he could stroke her nipples with his thumbs. She gave a soft moan and arched her back to press her breasts further into his hands. "And I want to see more." He said in a harsh whisper.

She reached for the zipper on her shirt and dragged it down, splitting her shirt in two. His hands released her breasts to allow her to shrug out of the red fabric, but his fingers were immediately searching for the end of her bindings. Pushing him aside, she easily found the tail-end of the cloth and untucked it, slowly unraveling the bandages.

Before Sakura realized what was happening, Kakashi sat up, lifted her off his lap and had her on her feet standing in front of the couch.

"Kakashi, what-"

"If you're gonna strip, I expect a show." He said with an evil grin, settling comfortably back on the couch.

"I'm not your personal striper." She replied indignantly, her hand still holding the end of her bindings in her hand.

"Of course not, you're better looking than any stripper I've seen. Not to mention smarter." The grin that crossed his face made her close her eyes and shake her head. Damn that grin could get her to do anything.

"Just how far do you think flattery is going to get you?"

"All the way through the show, I hope."

Her hands naturally came to rest on her hips, one hand still keeping a tight grip on her bindings. One of her hips pushed forward as she shifted her weight. "I'll make you a deal, for every piece of clothing I take off, you take one off."

"Deal."

"Okay, shirt off!" Sakura smiled smugly.

"I already took my mask off."

"And then I took off my shirt so now it's your turn." It was actually the mischievous smile on her face that melted his heart and had him tugging his shirt off. Sakura stood grinning widely as she studied his body, inspecting each and every scar with her eyes. He was absolutely gorgeous, just like what he had been hiding under his mask and his usual jounin uniform. Fine, strong facial features made unique by the scar and the mismatched eyes, a wiry but muscular body, long and lean from years of training with just the lightest dusting of silver hair across his chest.

"Your turn. Bindings. Now." He gave a swirling motion with a finger, imitating how she needed to unravel the strips of cloth. His mouth was formed into the biggest smirk she'd ever seen on anyone other than Jirariya when she'd caught him peeping into the women's baths. Of course, he wasn't smiling after she caught him.

Slowly, Sakura started to roll up the bandages, wrapping them meticulously as she gradually began to reveal her chest. A whine uncannily like a begging puppy brought her head up from her task to look questioningly at the man on the bed.

"You're going too slow." He complained. The pouting look on his now bare face was entirely too effective.

"How old are you, three?" she asked. "I don't want to destroy my wrappings."

"Sakura…" he said her name softly and the rough and sexy quality of it sending a shiver down her spine. "You're teasing me…"

"Damn right I am. How long did you hide your face from me?"

"Point taken." He mumbled in defeat. "But could you at least hurry up? I'd like to see the rest of you before _**your**_ hair turns gray."

"Fine…" she sighed. With a practice hand, she held the roll up over her head and twirled the free material between the roll and her body, rapidly unwrapping herself from the cloth.

He could feel his mouth watering as her perfectly formed breasts came into view. The binding really concealed the gifts nature had given her and while she had nothing on Tsunade, she was generously proportioned for her body type. Every spin of the cloth sent them bouncing just slightly. Licking his lips, he couldn't wait to get his hands on those lovely globes and had to consciously force himself to stay seated on the couch.

"Wow, I didn't know you did tricks too. Do you know the one with the ping-pong balls?"

"Never tried it but I'm familiar with it. I've had to remove them from several women who were trying it for the first time."

"How about a trapeze bar?"

"Just shut up and take off your pants." Sakura said throwing the mass of her bindings at him.

"You have no idea how much I like hearing that phrase from you." He hastily unwrapped his own bandages from his legs, dropped them into a pile on the floor with hers, stood up and shucked off his pants, kicking them under his bed as he sat back down. She was so beautiful, standing in front of him unembarrassed by her bare breasts, her pink hair falling down around her shoulders, a few tendrils long enough to cover the upper parts of her breasts. Her skin was a pale white and, for a shinobi, remarkably free of scars. Of course, as a medic, she was able to heal most of her own injuries, assuming she had any chakra left after healing her teammates.

He was still in a little bit of a daze that she was really here with him and this wasn't just a fantasy of his weak little mind. He'd been having fantasies of this woman since she'd become a jounin and now she was here, with him, slowly removing her clothes, just for him. It was entirely too tempting to reach out and pull her to him where he could kiss and touch and caress her beautiful body. But there would be time for that later. Now he should just enjoy the show.

"Your turn." He said. Her hands reached down to slide her skirt down over her hips but he stopped her. "No, leave the skirt on - shorts first." She grinned at his request. How could she have fallen for such a pervert? Other than the fact he was smart and handsome and made her feel like the only person in the world when he looked at her. Maybe, when faced with her own personal pervert determined to expose her to new and different things, she would find out she had a few kinky thoughts of her own.

Just to tease him, she turned around and bent over, poised so her backside was pushed out toward him and she ever-so-slowly shimmied her hips as she slid the shorts down, the fabric of her skirt barely covering the skin left exposed by the black shorts. The muscles beneath her skin fascinated him as they moved and her skirt gave the smallest hint of her bare thighs just under the well formed globes of her butt.

"Now walk away a little." He ordered. Complying, Sakura took a few steps forward, making sure she added a little extra sway to her hips.

Kakashi licked his lips. The way her skirt flipped up slightly with every step fascinated him, the incredibly smooth appearance of her skin had become too tempting to merely sit back and watch, especially when she turned and looked back over her shoulder to smile at him. He needed to feel her – and now!

Before Sakura knew it, two warm arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against his warm, hard body. Every inch of their touching skin tingled and she couldn't help but sigh when his lips placed an open-mouth kiss on a shoulder.

"You know you aren't supposed to touch the dancers." She scolded teasingly, continuing to wriggle her hips against the hard erection that pressed into her low back. One of her hands rose to slide through is hair.

"Good thing you aren't a real dancer then - you are just too tempting for me to sit there and watch." His voice was soft in her ear, his heated breath sending a shiver down her spine. His lips fastened on her ear as his hands slid higher up her waist and finally high enough to cup her breasts. With a soft sigh, she arched her back to press more of her chest into his hands. Caressing fingers slowly traced patterns over her skin, all around but not touching her oh-so-sensitive nipples like she really wanted. Her hands closed over his and attempted to guide his fingers, but he brushed her aside and she gave a disappointed whimper.

One of his hands slid down to flip up her short skirt and she gasped when she realized that sometime between when he had been seated and when he had grabbed her, he had removed his boxers and was completely naked behind her, a a warm drop of precome smearing on her bare skin just above her tailbone.

"Please…" she begged, knowing he knew full well what she was talking about.

"Please what?" he teasingly asked, both his hands massaging her breasts.

"You know…"

"But I want to hear you say it." He growled into her ear making her knees weak. She raised her hands in another attempt to touch her own breasts only to have them pushed away again.

"Fine! Please, touch my nipples. Oh, please, just touch me already!" she finally said, grinding her hips back into his erection, the skin of her back rubbing against his bare chest, the heat from his cock feeling like it was burning her skin. She reached around behind her and grabbed his ass and pulled him tighter against her. Turning her head to the side, she sought his lips, letting out a little pleasured moan when they finally connected.

The hand that had lifted her skirt now crept down between her breasts, over her taught stomach and down between her legs. She widened her stance to allow him to slip two fingers into her wet slit, gasping when he lightly brushed her clit.

She was absolutely soaking! He couldn't help the pleased shiver that ran through his body. This girl, no… _**this woman**_ had to be the sexiest thing he'd ever seen, her whimpers and moans turning him on more than he ever thought possible. Her skin was baby soft and he loved the sensation of their bare bodies touching in the most intimate ways. And all of her was his to enjoy. There was nothing or no one he'd ever let take her away from him. He refused to let his life become something out of his nightmares.

Breaking their kiss, he leaned down to nip at her shoulder as she arched against him, rolling her hips, grinding herself onto his hand. Oh, that would leave a mark. He bathed the tender skin with his tongue, soothing the impressions from his teeth. The hand still massaging her breasts slid down the smooth expanse of her skin to press on her stomach, drawing her back tightly against him.

He wanted nothing more than to take his time with her, to show her how he felt about her, but right now, his body wouldn't let him. The past few weeks had been spent thinking about her, imagining how she would feel when he finally touched her and realizing that imagination had nothing over the real thing, he needed her with a desperation that surprised even him.

"You are so wet, Sakura. Are you ready for me?" he whispered into her ear as he slowly sank a third finger into her slippery warmth.

"You're the one touching me, what do you think?" she asked with a smirk, tightening the muscles around his fingers and enjoying the groan that escaped his throat. To her disappointment, his hand disappeared from between her legs only to reappear on her hip to spin her around so she was facing him.

Now able to get the whole picture of his naked body, her mouth went for his neck, kissing and licking and biting and scraping him with her teeth. It felt amazing to wrap her arms around him and squeeze his ass, feeling him pressing back into her. Bending slightly, Kakashi grasped legs her behind the knees and lifted her so she could wrap her them around his waist. Backing up, he sat down on the couch and, with a quick alignment, pressed the head of his cock inside her, sliding her completely down over his cock.

He gave a heartfelt sigh at the liquid heaven he'd sunk into, a sound she echoed. She was amazingly warm and tight and her muscles fluttered wonderfully around him. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, holding herself slightly away from him, her head tipped back, the tips of her hair brushing his hands that held her waist.

He kissed her collarbone, sucking lightly at the delicate skin there and once again, leaving a mark. She tasted slightly salty, perhaps from a light sweat when she dashed over here. When he first opened the door, he'd been able to see the worry etched into her face, quickly replaced with relief before turning to anger when she saw he was alright.

The soft cry Sakura gave at the filling sensation of him finally being inside her soon turned into a series of mewls as he rocked his hips. Without even realizing it her fingernails sunk into the skin of his back. He was just so hot and hard inside her, giving her a feeling of being completely filled, the stretch inside her to accommodate him unlike anything she'd felt with any other man.

She gave a roll of her own hips and was satisfied by his grunt of pleasure. He lapped gently the pulse point on her neck as she moved her legs so she could support herself on her knees. With a quick motion, she momentarily raised herself up before relaxing her muscles to impale herself on his cock.

"Oh, god, Kashi, you feel so good." She sighed, rolling her hips again. His hands held her tightly so she didn't fall backwards. Starting from her neck, he slowly kissed down her body until he was able to take the pale pink tip of a nipple between his lips. Sucking at her breast, running his rough tongue over the hard peak and enjoying the taste of her skin left Kakashi in heaven.

Sakura's hands ran through his messy hair, holding his face to her breast, looking down at the man she'd wanted for so long. His hair was much softer than she thought it would be and she slowly stroked his head in time with his tongue. His mismatched eyes rose to look up at her and caught her own in a heated stare. So much was said with that unspoken exchange, so much revealed, so much love and satisfaction.

Then with a mischievous gleam in his eye, he bit down on her nipple, the combination of pleasure and pain making her arch spine arch as her head tipped back with a sweet cry of surprise. Her fingers clenched his hair but didn't try to pull him away from her breast.

The hands at her waist lifted her slightly only to release her, using gravity to propel her onto his rigid cock again. She whimpered softly, but continued to roll her hips as an incredible heat began to build low in her belly. Every vein on his cock was rubbing her into a frenzy, her body automatically raising and lowering herself onto him.

Changing the angle, she wrapped her arms behind his neck and leaned away from him. Their upper bodies separated giving him a chance to look down between them, the bouncing of her breasts catching his eyes. Sakura whimpered at the change of angle, their comfortable rhythm speeding up along with the increase of force.

Just when she felt she couldn't take any more, she tightened her grip around his neck, pulling their bodies close, and sunk her teeth into his shoulder. With a grunt, he came into her, the spasming of her body around him forcing him over the edge mere seconds after her.

With a soft sigh, he fell back against the couch cushions, the arms wrapped around her body dragging her with him. They lay there in silence, only broken by heavy breathing as their heart rates gradually returned to normal. Turning her head, Sakura placed a kiss on his bare chest.

"What changed your mind? I mean, that night on the bridge you seemed appalled when I opened my big mouth."

"After hearing how you felt, I couldn't think of much else. You said something I'd never thought I'd hear from your lips. I used to think relationships weren't for me, especially something between the two of us, but the more I thought about it, about you, I realized I want to give it a try. Even if things don't work out."

"We'll make it work." Sakura said as she rolled over to squeeze herself between him and the couch cushions. "Are you that unsure of yourself?"

"The lives of people I've loved haven't exactly had happy endings. I haven't been able to keep them safe."

"You don't think I'll be able to keep myself safe?"

"Obito couldn't, Rin couldn't, the Fourth couldn't…"

"Have some faith. Your life has changed a lot since then and I'd like to think I'm strong enough to keep myself alive. I have so far."

Their conversation was cut short by a sound at the door.

"Kakashi-sensei! Kakashi-sensei!" The door of his apartment looked like it would break under the pounding of the overenthusiastic blond man. "I heard you got hurt! Are you going to be okay? You're not dying, are you?"

Naruto could never seem to remember the key to Kakashi's apartment was hidden under the mat in the hall. Sakura was a little surprised he bothered to knock at the door, which was much better than if he came to the window like he always did at her place. Which reminded her, she'd have to put a stop to that if she didn't want Naruto to see them _in flagrante delicto_.

"I'll be fine," Kakashi called out. Just to be mean Sakura slid her hand down to squeeze a tender part of his anatomy, causing him to give a strangled cry. Just the touch of her hand had him already hardening. Again.

"But we need to get you to the hospital right away!"

"NO!" Kakashi yelled before the man could break the door. "Sakura's here and she's… um… she's uh… fixing me right now. Come back later when I've… I've had some rest." He was struggling to keep his voice as normal as possible considering her hand was stroking a very sensitive part right now.

"Do you actually think you'll be getting any rest?" She purred softly enough Naruto wouldn't hear her.

"I hope not," he groaned. "But I'm not exactly enthralled with the idea of Naruto joining in."

"You seriously think he would?" she asked, her voice still low and a bit throaty and a gleam in her eye that he wasn't quite sure he liked.

"If he could see you like this, most definitely." His eyes flicked down to her bare back and ass, smooth creamy skin that seemed to go on forever.

Naruto replied with less enthusiasm than before. "Well, okay, Kakashi-sensei. If you're sure you're going to be all right…"

"I'm feeling better already. Sakura is doing her best to keep me healthy, as usual." Kakashi called to Naruto on the other side of the door.

"Well, let me know when you're all healed and I'll take you out for some ramen." Naruto said, his voice already fading as he left. Grateful for his absence, the couple resumed their conversation.

"And why wouldn't you want him to join us?" She smiled evilly. "I'm sure he has a lot of stamina."

"Not only would Hinata would be furious, I'd have to kill him for touching you."

"Getting a little possessive now?"

"Oh, yeah, you're mine."

"And you think that I'll do whatever you want? What if I had started dating someone else since I thought my perverted sensei didn't want me?"

"Good thing you didn't 'cause you're mine now." He growled into her neck before sucking on her skin to leave a hickey there.

"Hey, what are you doing, marking your territory?" Sakura cried indignantly.

"Yep. Mine."

"Why don't you just pee on my leg, while you're at it?" Kakashi could practically see the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Kinky little thing, aren't you?" The wide grin spread over his face annoyed her all the more.

"Perverted bastard."

"But I'm _**your**_ perverted bastard."

Sakura looked down at the naked, silver-haired shinobi she was partially resting on. This morning she was heartbroken, certain that her drunken admission had cost her the best friend she had and now, not only did she have his friendship back, she also had his heart. The day hadn't turned out nearly as bad as she thought it would.

"Yeah, I guess you are, aren't you?" She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before continuing. "So… does this mean I get to mark you too?"

The End

* * *

I kinda forced the lemon in here so it's not very long. It wasn't necessary and I probably could have gotten away without doing one, but… well, I really like them. It's not my best, so I hope no one is too disappointed. Any thoughts? Opinions? Reviews?


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